Packaging twine



May 14, 1968 w. 1.. JOHNSON 3,382,971

PACKAGING TWINE Filed Oct. 16, 1964 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 POL YOLEF/NSHRINK F/L M 14 OPEN END 4\ 0/5 our CARDBOARD CLOSURE END 546 (M4) cannyLABEL7} sEcr/o/v 0F GUSSETED 8A6 F, 6. 2-

WILL/AM LEE JOHNSON INVENTOR.

" Q. MM

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,382,971 PACKAGING TWINE William LeeJohnson, Kingsport, Tenn., assignor to Eastman Kodak Company, Rochester,N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Oct. 16, 1964, Ser. No. 404,2846 Claims. (Cl. 2156-46) This invention relates to the packaging of twineor similar attenuated product. More particularly, it concerns theenclosing of balls of baler twine or other balls of twine exemplified bywrapping and packaging twine and string with a certain type andconstruction of plastic outer cover for the ball of twine.

As already known in the industry, it is usual to enclose twine, stringor similar product in a paper wrap. However, paper, excepting to protectto some extent and furnish a surface for advertising or other printednotation, does not perform functions in addition to enclosing as doesthe present invention. In further detail and with particular referenceto a twine, as baler twine, the following has been known in theindustry. In shipping and handling such type twine whether the twine becomprised of sisal, hemp or plastic composition such balls of twine havehad a tendency toward telescoping. While the paper wrap has possiblyassisted in some respect, since paper is susceptible of moisture attackand expansion any packaging pressure exerted by the paper has not beenuniform or lasting. Another problem involved with such prior art twinepackages is the tendency of the ball to unwind by the loose end duringshipping and handling. In actual usage of such twine balls, particularlyin automatic machinery where the twine is mechanically withdrawn at highrates of speed, there has been an even greater tendency of the ballpackage to telescope or collapse after a substantial amount of the twinehas been withdrawn.

It is already known to some extent to use plastic in packaging twine andother products. Such is referred to in Patents 1,937,468; 2,342,977 and2,720,309. These patents are mentioned as illustrative and notnecessarily to indicate that such type of patent and publication are theonly ones that may be existent in the prior art.

However, as may be noted from the patents referred to above apparentlythe prior art has used plastic wrapping that necessitated wetting orpreheating to preexpand such prior art wrapping material before use. Asit is thought will be understood by those familiar with such subjectmatter, such prior art procedures have certain disadvantages. Also suchprior art suggested plastic materials may have a disadvantage costwiseas compared to the present invention.

Hence, it is apparent that the development of a procedure for wrappingtwine which is free of or minimizes prior disadvantage, is economicaland which is addition to its wrapping or enclosing function may provideother utility represents a highly desirable result. After extensiveinvestigation I have discovered a new procedure for packaging productssuch as twine and string or other similar balled and wound products withthe resultant production of a new packaged product.

This invention has as one object to provide a new and simple method ofpacking twine, string and the like attenuated products presentlyavailable in a ball cylinder "ice or comparable form. A particularobject is to provide a method of packaging which minimizes or preventsthe ball or cylinder of twine from prematurely unwinding. collapsing ortelescoping. A further object is to provide a new packaged twine whichin such package is susceptible to a high degree of rough handling asencountered in transportation and use, then presently availablepackages. A still further object is to provide a new package of balertwine wherein the twine is better protected from spillage thereon or thelike damage than the currently available paper wrapped twine. Otherobjects will appear hereinafter.

In the broader aspects of my invention I have found that certainnon-oriented or partially oriented and generally non-heat set orpartially heat set plastic sheeting materials may advantageously be usedto wrap twine and the like products of the class indicated. Thiswrapping produces useful results in addition to the enclosing orpackaging function of protecting the surface of the product beingpackaged. The sheeting just mentioned used in the present invention maybe extruded in the usual manner to produce a sheeting of the desiredthickness, width and other properties. The sheeting preferably would betransparent, but translucent, opaque or colored sheeting may be preparedand employed in this invention.

After the sheeting is thus extruded rather than fully orienting thesheeting as may be cutomery it would not be oriented or oriented only toa limited extent longitudinally or transversely. Likewise, after suchlimited orientation, the sheeting is either not heat set or, if heatedin its manufacture, heated to a lower or more limited extent thanpresently used manufacturing techniques.

By thus controlling the amount of orientation (sheet drafting) andheating it is possible to provide a wrapping sheet which has, so tospeak, built in a predetermined degree of releasable contraction. Inother words, the wrapping sheet may be specifically tailored so thatwhen used in my process to be described in detail hereinafter it can becaused to contract to produce a predetermined and desired pressureagainst the twine contained within the package.

As already mentioned above, wiih balls of twine, exemplified by balertwine where the twine is withdrawn from the interior of the packagethere has been a tendency of such ball in the usual paper wrap totelescope or collapse after even a limited amount of the twine has beenwithdrawn. This is particularly the situation with respect to balingtwine in mobile machinery where the twine package is subjected toconsiderably rough handling as the equipment is moved over a roughterrain. By enclosing the twine product in the plastic wrap of thepresent invention as will be seen from the description hereinafter apackage is formed having a predetermined control of pressure against thetwine. By this elastic like pressure, substantially unafiected bymoisture or the heat of the sun the balls of twine are thereby firmlyand suitably held during transportation and unwinding even if the ballis shaken or vibrated.

In general, in the maufacture of my package the following steps arecarried out. The twine is wound in a ball or cylinder in the usualmanner as if it were to be wrapped in paper conventionally. However, inthe present invention the ball or cylinder of twine is inserted into abag made from the plastic sheeting discussed in detail above. Thissheeting as mentioned is such as to have residual contraction of apredetermined degree as may be useful for the particular package beingmade. This bag is designed to fit around and hold the ball or cylinderof twine. Or the ball or cylinder of twine may be rolled up in the bagand the loose ends are folded over and into an open end of the ball orcylinder. The various details of wrapping or otherwise enclosing thetwine within the plastic sheeting will be further apparent from theseveral examples set forth hereinafter.

The twine thus wrapped with the special sheeting of the presentinvention is then placed in an oven, or otherwise heated, for a fewseconds to cause the desired sheeting contraction thereby causing thewrapper to firmly enclose and in addition pressure support the ball oftwine. As will be observed since the plastic bag of the presentinvention does not need to be wet or preheated prior to use, theprocedure of the present invention is simpler and more eflicient thanprior art procedures. Also since the plastic bag of the presentinvention is not moisture susceptible or otherwise greatly susceptibleto atmospheric conditions, it is possible by the present invention toproduce a more permanently protected package than by prior artprocedures.

For a still further understanding of my invention reference is made tothe attached drawings forming a part of the present application.

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation view of a gusseted bag construction such asmay be used to enclose the twine to be packaged. FIGURE 2 is a sideelevation view in section of a new twine package in accordance with thepresent invention.

FIGURE 3 is a fiow sheet for illustrating the various operationalstations from winding to the finished wrapped product.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a section of sheeting 2 of the type describedabove and of a height H is folded on one edge as at 3. A gusset 4 isfolded into the bottom. This gusset may be approximately /3 H. Theproduction of such bags may be accomplished on commercially availablebag making machines as exemplified by Schjeldahl Model 108-41SP. Theouter edge 5 and the top 6 may be left open for facilitating theinsertion of the ball or cylinder of twine. Or the outer edge 5 may besuitably heat sealed or otherwise closed. However, as will be noted fromthe examples which follow these outer edges 5 and 6 may be made of asufficiently greater length than the article to be packaged. Then thearticle is rolled in the bag and the upper ends tucked or folded intothe open center core of r the ball or cylinder.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, the ball or cylinder of twine is indicated at10. The hollow center is indicated at 11. The plastic sheeting of thepresent invention enclosing the ball is indicated at 12. In the presentFIGURE 2 for clarity of presentation FIGURE 2 is depicted in explodedarrangement with sheeting 12 away from the surface of the twine.However, in actual operation and construction, such sheeting 12 iscontracted into close and pressure contact with the twine. Hence, thisFIGURE 2 may be considered as illustrating the twine package somewhat inthe manner it exists before the packages of twine are passed through theheating oven.

While the open ends of the sheeting as at 13 and 14 are shown merelyextending a small distance over the edges of the twine package, this isnot a limitation on the invention. The edges or ends 13 and 14 mayextend further toward the center of the package or may be tucked intothe opening 11.

Preferably, however, there is provided a carboard or polyallomercomposition disc 15 upon which the twine package may rest. This disc maybe provided with a suitable opening 16 through which the twine isconveniently withdrawn. If it is desired to have the package at theonset substantially completely enclosed rather than 4. opening 16, azone of material which may be easily punched out can be provided in disc15. Or, in a similar manner on the opposite end of the core space 11 asin the vicinity of area 17, a weakened spot may be provided by cuttingor burning so that the twine may be removed from that end.

Refer now to FIGURE 3 where 30 diagrammatically indicates winder inwhich the twine is being balled or cylindrically wound into a package.The packages of twine or string 31 which may be wound on commerciallyavailable machinery and of the usual ball or cylinder configuration areremoved from the winder to bagging station 32. At this station 32 thebags are already available or are automatically or otherwise preparedfrom a roll of sheeting.

Assuming the bags are already available, the operator drops the cylinderof twine into the open end of the bag and tucks the ends into the opencore of the cylinder or ball. The operator then inverts the package ontothe upright prong 33 of conveyor 34. The conveyor automatically carriesthe package through the heated tunnel 35.

The heat of the tunnel and speed of conveyor operation are correlated tosubject the loosely wrapped package 36 to sufficient heat treatment tocause the wrapper to contract to the desired extent giving a tighlywrapped package 37 a the exit end of the conveyor. These finishedpackages may then be tilted ofl. the end of the conveyor into aconventional shipping box or the like container 38. The boxes then aremoved to storage or shipment.

A still further understanding of my invention will be had from aconsideration of the following examples which are set forth toillustrate certain embodiments thereof.

EXAMPLE I In accordance with this example a polypropylene baler twinewas being packaged. This twine and its method of manufacture aredescribed in detail in companion pending application of my coworkersWininger and Dyer Serial No. 257,386. In order to package this twinewherein the strand diameter was 7 and the footage and pouudage in thecylindrical open core twine package was approximately 4,550 feet and 8/3 pounds there was made up a number of gusseted bags. These bags weremade up on a 108-41SP bag machine to give a bag structure as shown inFIGURE 1. The sheeting used in making these bags was from low densitypolyethylene composition having a melt index of 1.7 grams per tenminutes and 0.918 grams per milliliter density. The sheeting made fromthis polyolefin composition although oriented to some extend had acontraction value of about 35 percent in the transverse direction andpercent in the machine direction with respect to the line of extrusionof the sheeting. This sheeting used for making up these bags Was notheat set.

In this example after the cylinder of twine was inserted into the bagthe bag was rolled around the cylinder and the loose ends of the bagtucked into the center hole of the cylinder. These enclosed cylinders oftwine as thus bagged were placed on the conveyor prongs and passedthrough an oven or heating tunnel as illustrated in FIG- URE 3. In theoven the packages were subjected to a temperature of 400 F. forapproximately 3-5 seconds. The packages in which the twine was nowsecurely held within the plastic wrap were removed from the oven. Asmall hole was cut in the center of the gusseted end, by a heated ring,to allow access to the loose end of the twine for its removal.

The finished package was approximately 9%" high and 8% in diameter.

As will be apparent from other of the examples which follow, a die cutcardboard or plastic disc inserted as illustrated in FIGURE 2 may beused to facilitate the support of the ball or twine cylinder. Also saiddisc may be used to carry labels of advertising or other Similarnotations.

5. EXAMPLE II In this example the same type twine and wrapping as inExample I was used. However, at station 32 a card- 'Further comparativetests of various twines in commercial hay baling equipment of differentmakes has been carried out and it was found that packages in accordancewith the present invention did not telescope intransit board discapproximately the diameter of the. cylinder or in use. With other typesof packages the twine in some was first inserted in the bag on the endof the twine instances would unwind and drop out on the ground. Or y f mthe p n d f p asti a The p g with partially used balls of twine left inthe baler it was twine was heat treated and otherwise further handled asfo d that the prior art pack-ages collapsed when the in Example Whilethe disc imparted some further debaler was transported from one field toanother over sifa'ble features to llhe Package, the Package Without Said10 rough terrain. On" the other hand, packages in accordance disc isoperative and better than prior art paper-wrapped i h th presentinvention even h h the twine had p ckag If desire he disc m y e in er nh been partially withdrawn therefrom did not collapse. opposite end oron both ends of the cylinder. The thickness of the polyethylene sheetingused to make the above gusseted bags is preferably within the range ofEXAMPLE III 0.00075" and0.005" but other ranges of thickness may beemployed, as for example, the .005" to .01" referred In this example thetwine and other features were the to f polypropylene i Example up w i hpolyethsame as in Example I. However, for wrapping there was ylenereferred to in detail in Example I is the preferred used 'an orientednon-heat set polypropylene fil-m. It was material because of its lowercost, other polymeric comfound that the thickness of such film had somebearlng positions h as Polypropylene, as mentioned above and on thestability of the finished package. It was found that i some instancespolyvinyl l id may he used P yp py t0 l Oriented to some Although theinvention has been described in consideXteht, was most Suitable WhereSurface n s and erable detail with particular reference to certainpreferred abrasion resistance Wel'e desired- The resultant p ypembodiments thereof, variations and modifications can be pylene packagetested out satisfactorily as compared with ff d i hi h i i d scope ofthe invention as the p y y package of Example I as will lbe pdescribedhereinabove, and as defined in the appended parent hereinafter whencertain tests are referred to. l i

I I claim: EXAMPLE IV 1. A method for pakaging a synthetic twine productcomprising the steps of:

In this example, which was similar to Example I in (a) winding anelongated twine product of synthetic operation, there was used Kodarpolyester sheeting, for material into a cylindrical, open core,relatively loose wrapping a more expensive twine or string material thantwine package subject to telescoping and collapse the baler twine ofExample I. This shrink polyester film upon handling; gave a veryexcellent package which in addition exhibited (b) placing saidcylindrical, open core, twine package greater sparkle than the abovereferred to films. into an open-ended bag formed of non-heatset, low

Some of the advantages of my new package are thought densitypolyethylene sheeting having sufficient molecclearly illustrated fromthe data in the following table. ular orientation to result in acontraction value of From this data concerning actual truckingoperations of about 35% in the transverse direction and about packagesin accordance with the present invention cornin the machine directionwith respect to the pared with conventional paper wrapped packages itwill line of extrusion of the sheeting from which the bag be observedthat the packages of the present invention is formed; withstood suchhandling better than prior art packages. (c) tucking the open end ofsaid bag into the open This advantage is in addition to the instantpackage being core of said twine package; better protected againstspillage soaking through the wrap. 43 (d) subjecting said twine packageto a temperature Also, since the wrap of the present invention may be ofabout 400 F. for about 3 to 5 seconds to thereby transparent thecontents of the twine may be visibly obshrink said bag about said twinepackage and form a served more readily than paper wrap. tight packagehaving no tendency to telescope or Details concerning the rough handlingtests are as folcollapse. 1 2. A method according to claim 1 whereinsaid low Different samples of packaged twine were hauled on a densitypolyethylene sheeting has a melt index of about commercial truck forseveral days in a special test box 1.7 grams per ten minutes, and adensity of about 0.918 to determine relative package stability. Each ofseveral gram per milliliter. samples were placed in an ll-iinch squareby 12-inch deep 3. A method according to claim 2 wherein thethickplywood section of a box. The size of the individual conness ofsaid low density polyethylene sheet ranges from tainers wasrepresentative of the average twine box on about 0.00075 inch to about0.01 inch. hay balers. During the test, the box was transported both 4.An article of manufacture comprising: in its normal upright position andon its side; thus very (a) an elongated twine product of syntheticmaterial severe handling in the field was simulated. The descnipwound(into a cylindrical, open core, relatively loose, tions of each originalsample and the results of the hantwine package subject to telescopingand collapse redling test are as follows: sulting from handling;

Sample Description Results 1 Normal production twine, wrapped inpolyole- Slight tendency to bulge fin shrink pack of the presentinvention. Twobut retained by polyolefin thirds of twine had been pulledout. No cardheat shrunk wrap. board Wrapper.

2 Conventional prior art paper-wrapped produc- Package telescoped andtion twine. Two-thirds of twine pulled out. collapsed in center.

3 Conventional package coated top and bottom Acceptable condition.

with rubber base glue.

4 9,000 foot conventional paper-wrapped package, Package telescoped andcol- A of twine pulled out.

5 Pressure sensitive tape applied top and bottom D0.

to regular paper-wrapped production package. Two-thirds of twine pulledout.

6 Polyethylene shrink pack of present invention Good condition.

on regular cardboard wrapped production package.

7 Polymeric shrink pack of present invention-mo Do.

other wrapper.

lapsed in center.

(b) a bag of non-"heatset, low density polyethylene oriented to have acontraction value of about 35% in the transverse direction and about 45%in the machine direction with respect to the line of extrusion of thesheeting from which said bag is formed, 5 heat shrunk about saidcylinder to contact all exterior surfaces thereof to thereby preventcollapsing and telescoping of said cylinder of twine during handling anduse.

5. An article of manufacture according to claim 4 wherein said lowdensity polyethylene has a melt index of about 1.7 grams per tenminutes, and a density of about 0.918 gram per milliliter.

6. An article of manufacture according to claim 5 wherein said lowdensity polyethylene sheeting has a 15 thickness in the range of about0.00075 inch to about 0.01 inch.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Talbot 20659 Knuetter 22953Decker et a1. 20659 Carigman 206-64 Windisch 20665 Harrison 20665 Smoot206-56 Dreyfus 206-65 Gottily et a1. 20646 Baird et a1 2293.5

Dreyfus 206-80 WILLIAM T. DIXSON, In, Primary Examiner.

1. A METHOD FOR PAKAGING A SYNTHETIC TWINE PRODUCT COMPRISING THE STEPOF: (A) WINDING AN ELONGATED TWINE PRODUCT OF SYNTHETIC MATERIAL INTO ACYLINDRICAL, OPEN CORE, RELATIVELY LOOSE TWINE PACKAGE SUBJECT TOTELESCOPING AND COLLAPSE UPON HANDLING; (B) PLACING SAID CYLINDRICAL,OPEN CORE, TWINE PACKAGE INTO AN OPEN-ENDED BAG FORMED OF NON-HEATSET,LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE SHEETING HAVING SUFFICIENT MOLECULARORIENTATION TO RESULT IN A CONTRACTION VALUE OF ABOUT 35% IN THETRANSVERSE DIRECTION AND ABOUT 45% IN THE MACHINE DIRECTION WITHERESPECT TO THE LINE OF EXTRUSION OF THE SHEETING FROM WHICH THE BAG ISFORMED; (C) TUCKING THE OPEN END OF SAID BAG INTO THE OPEN CORE OF SAIDTWINE PACKAGE; (D) SUBJECTING SAID TWINE PACKAGE TO A TEMPERATURE OFABOUT 400* F. FOR ABOUT 3 TO 5 SECONDS TO THEREBY SHRINK SAID BAG ABOUTSAID TWINE PACKAGE AND FORM A TIGHT PACKAGE HAVING NO TENDENCY TOTELESCOPE OR COLLAPSE.